How much plastic waste does the administration produce per year?

Green Group question /Continuing reduction of plastic consumption

‘How much plastic waste does the administration produce each year?’ This question is put by the Green Group to the Main-Kinzig district. This is based on a previous application: "At the end of August 2018, the district council unanimously decided not to use avoidable single-use plastic products in the buildings of the district, in the district's own businesses and at events," says Jakob Mähler, deputy leader of the Green Group in the district parliamentary group.

‘We would therefore like to know what concrete steps have been taken by the circle since then to avoid avoid avoidable plastic.’ Because: “Each and every one of us consumes 40 kilograms of plastic per year. This has doubled plastic consumption in the last 20 years.”

Three million tons come together in Germany: ‘In the end, plastic ends up in the world’s oceans, killing around one million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals per year.’

Plastic not only pollutes the world’s oceans, ‘it is also responsible for a mass extinction of wildlife’. In addition to the impact on wildlife, plastic is also dangerous for us humans: "The decomposition of plastic creates microplastics, which we then resume by eating fish from the seas," says Mähler. Plastic consists, among other things, of petroleum, raw gasoline and flame retardants: ‘Who would take these substances voluntarily?’ Microplastics are also responsible for many diseases, including cancer and heart disease, due to their dangerous ingredients.

“It is up to us to reduce plastic consumption. Due to the explosive nature of the issue, we are also pleased that the district council unanimously accepted the motion. But now we would like to know what the circle has implemented since then", emphasises Mähler. “We would also like to know how much plastic waste is still generated in the administration every year. Because we are also aware that not every plastic is avoidable. This is where industry is called upon to develop appropriate alternatives.”

Climate protection is one of the most important topics of the 21st century: “Climate change always starts on the ground and on the ground. Therefore, we ask the question whether training courses are planned by the circle for the employees, which show how a workplace can be ecologically designed by appropriate measures for climate and environmental protection. And we would like to know what the circle has planned in the coming years in order to further reduce the consumption of plastic," concludes Mähler.

Enquiries to:

Jakob Mähler
Group Managing Director
Alliance 90 / The Greens Main-Kinzig
06181/61596
0176/46763336
fraktion@gruene-mkk.de